“Old Central” – A photo tribute to history of San Diego Central Library – DrWeb

The Photos — Some in 2013, I started taking a lot of photos inside the old Central Library in downtown San Diego, 820 E Street. I worked there for 15 years, Librarian II, was the Training Librarian, Science, and Documents Librarian in my career there. I retired in 2016.

These bring back some rich memories, so I wanted to share. There are still some “missing” basement photos I am hunting for. Stay tuned! The new Central Library opened in 2013, so it was past the time to document the past. –DrWeb

To enjoy the images, browse at the selections, click any to open larger view, and then you are in the slideshow style, and can move back and forward. Enjoy!

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Librarian reminisces about old Central Library as it heads to market – Times of San Diego

The old central library in downtown San Diego. (File photo courtesy of the city)

Arts

Librarian reminisces about old Central Library as it heads to market

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Overview: Old Central library

As the city announced it was seeking buyers or lessees to redevelop the 1954 building into housing, she reminisced about what the space at 820 E St. meant to her and other staff during the 59 years it stored San Diego’s main library collection. 

The old central library in downtown San Diego. (File photo courtesy of the city)

One of the most exciting parts of librarian Kristina Garcia’s career occurred in the old Central Library but her connection to the space started long before that. 

As the city announced it was seeking buyers or lessees to redevelop the 1954 building into housing, she reminisced about what the space at 820 E St. meant to her and other staff during the 59 years it stored San Diego’s main library collection. 

“Unfortunately, we did outgrow the space,” said Garcia, now the librarian for the adult high school diploma program. “And I’m very glad we have so much more space and we can offer so many great programs now in the New Central but the Old Central was a very special part of my work history and my family.” 

Favorite memories

Garcia’s father, a lawyer who worked downtown, would take her on visits to the Central Library. 

It reminded her of a 1950s school with a few unique features. The seal of San Diego on the floor, Donal Hord’s sculptures and classic wood features from the original San Diego Carnegie Library stood out to her as a child. 

“The facade outside was always very artistic, you know, and majestic,” said Garcia. She is glad that the historic significance of these features means they will be preserved even as the building as a whole is redeveloped. 

It was many years after Garcia’s childhood visits when, already well into her career as a librarian, she began working inside the Central Library in 2001.

She was located on one of the two basement floors as a second-level reference librarian for the Serra Cooperative. Eventually, she started working at reference desks on the three above-ground stories of the library. 

Unlike today’s Central Library which is divided by floors, the old library was split into sections.

Each section had a reference desk where the librarians stationed there would be subject matter experts on the section’s topic, like history, sciences, literature, etc. Garcia started in the art, music and recreation area. 

She stayed at the library until it closed in 2013, working with librarians to meet the needs of over a thousand daily visitors. 

Then, the Central Library at 330 Park Blvd. in East Village opened. 

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One of Garcia’s most exciting opportunities occurred during the move from old to new when she packed up The Wangenheim Collection, which includes rare books, manuscripts, rugs and other artifacts that chronicle the development of books through the ages.

She calls it “a really special thing that I got to do.” 

Leaving the building she remembered from her childhood, one that also housed much of her career was difficult, as much as the new space was needed. “The staff did find it hard to say goodbye to that old building,” Garcia said. 

Unique features

With three stories above ground and two below, the 144,524-square-foot old Central Library offered a unique visitor experience. 

The collection was largely housed in the two basement floors, which was not open to the public. They were only allowed on the above ground floors where a spiraling brass handrail adorned the stairs. 

Since the public needed access to the collections, staff members took on the role of runners. Visitors would fill out hold cards of what book they wanted and a runner would use a service elevator down to the basement to find it and bring it up. 

There were so many shelves in the basement it was a maze. Reflective dots and arrows marked paths to the exit in case staff got lost amid a power outage. 

Editor’s Note: Below is a KPBS NPR video from 12 years ago. It shows some of the treasures. When I worked at Central Library, I loved going into the basement. I somewhere have my “parting” images which I will try and dig out and add later. See also the original article that included the video: https://www.kpbs.org/news/evening-edition/2013/06/28/central-library-moves-hidden-treasures-out-public
-DrWeb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHUOtQeUH94

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: Librarian reminisces about old Central Library as it heads to market

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San Diego Public Library cuts slash Monday hours, prompt ‘great reshuffling’ of librarians citywide – San Diego Union-Tribune

News, Politics

San Diego Public Library cuts slash Monday hours, prompt ‘great reshuffling’ of librarians citywide

The shorter hours are also forcing branches to quickly reschedule activities like author talks, photography exhibits and youth storytelling times — and let patrons know about those changes on the fly.

Jordan Hante, 30, reads in the Rancho Peñasquitos library on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025 in San Diego. City budget cuts are closing many libraries on Monday, and scrambling staffing at others. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

By David Garrick | [email protected] | The San Diego Union-Tribune

PUBLISHED: September 4, 2025 at 9:02 AM PDT

Budget cuts are about to bring big changes to San Diego’s 37 neighborhood library branches — including shorter hours, shuffled staff and rescheduled activities.

Cuts approved by the mayor and City Council in June will wipe out Monday hours at 20 branches starting Sept. 15., leaving only 17 branches open on Mondays.

And those cuts, which come shortly after Sunday hours were eliminated at 14 branches on July 1, are prompting key staff to jump from branch to branch in what city officials are calling “the Great Reshuffling.”

The shorter hours are also forcing branches to quickly reschedule activities like author talks, photography exhibits and youth storytelling times — and let patrons know about those changes on the fly.

Local library supporters say the changes are disappointing and possibly could have been handled better.

“This was all very sudden for everybody,” said Pat Wilson, president of the Friends of the San Diego Public Library. “A lot of the staff are moving around. It’s kind of disruptive.”

Maureen Meadows, youth services librarian, works at her desk at the Rancho Peñasquitos library on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

City officials say the shorter hours are needed to help close a budget deficit of more than $300 million. The shorter hours are expected to save $5.1 million in the ongoing fiscal year, which projects to roughly $7 million in a full fiscal year.

They are part of roughly $100 million in cuts enacted in this year’s budget. Mayor Todd Gloria and the council closed the remainder of the deficit with about $150 million in new revenues from parking and fees, and by canceling $64 million in scheduled reserve contributions.

The reshuffling is the result of complex labor union rules regarding seniority and the desire of many workers to avoid working Saturdays, which are now part of the required five-day work week of Tuesday-through-Saturday at branches that will have no Monday hours.

Many branch managers, youth librarians and other key full-time staff are shifting to branches where Monday hours will continue so they can avoid working Saturdays.

And many of those moves are bumping less-tenured employees to other branches, starting the cycle again and bumping other employees with even less seniority.

Library assistant Alicia Lopez helps a teen in Rancho Penasquitos on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025 in San Diego. Library staff are switching to different branches citywide as a result of a staffing scramble touched off by cuts to Monday hours at many locations. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

The process is essentially complete for full-time workers, but it has just begun for part-time workers and is expected to continue for them through Tuesday.

The labor union that represents the affected workers, the Municipal Employees Association, says this is a better outcome than a previous proposal by the mayor to shut all branches every Sunday and Monday.

That proposal would have included nearly three dozen layoffs and would have left a big hole in the mostly lower-income communities where branches will still have Monday service.

“We are focused on promoting fairness in scheduling, but it is just a fact that changing days and hours of operation in the library system is incredibly complicated and disruptive for all,” said Mike Zucchet, MEA general manager. “It is also important to note that this is happening in part because the city restored some Monday hours, maintaining critical services and saving dozens of jobs from layoffs, which are clearly good things.”

A city spokesperson said the complex process is necessary.

“With 573 active employees in the San Diego Public Library system, the city remains committed to providing a fair process and supportive work environment for everyone,” said the spokesperson, Jennifer McBride.

She said the “schedule selection process” was collaboratively developed by the city and MEA with a goal of ensuring that branches remain open and accessible to the communities they serve.

Wilson, the leader of the Friends group, said staff turnover is normal and expected, but this is different because it’s so much turnover happening all at once.

“We’ll muddle through and make the best of it,” she said. “As angry as some people are, I kind of want to put out a ray of sunshine.”

Continue/Read Original Article Here: San Diego Public Library cuts slash Monday hours, prompt ‘great reshuffling’ of librarians citywide – San Diego Union-Tribune

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San Diego’s old Central Library is on the market – San Diego Union-Tribune

Business

San Diego’s old Central Library is on the market

The city is seeking a buyer or lessee to turn its vacant, downtown property at 820 E St. into an apartment tower.

The old Central Library at 820 E Street, as pictured on Tuesday. The library closed in 2013 and was more recently used intermittently as a homeless shelter. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

By Jennifer Van Grove | [email protected] | The San Diego Union-Tribune, UPDATED: September 2, 2025 at 8:05 PM PDT

San Diego’s empty old Central Library at Eighth Avenue and E Street is officially on the market as the city seeks a bidder to remake the downtown property into a skyscraper with apartments for people of varying incomes.

On Tuesday, San Diego’s Economic Development Department published a notice of availability for the old Central Library at 820 E St., formally starting the solicitation process under California’s Surplus Land Act. The law regulates how municipal agencies can offload their land and prioritizes the production of housing for low-income families.

The notice alerts affordable housing developers registered with the state that the city intends to sell or lease its 0.69-acre property on the southern half of the block facing E Street, between Eighth and Ninth avenues. The notice also starts the clock on a 60-day window for interested bidders to respond with redevelopment plans that include at least 25% of residential units reserved for households making 80% or less than the area median income, or what’s referred to as affordable housing.

Prospective buyers have through Nov. 3 to submit a letter of interest.

“All San Diegans will benefit when we breathe new life into this unused property,” San Diego City Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, who represents downtown, said in a statement. “Downtown San Diego is the region’s ideal location for new housing with its proximity to jobs and transit, and replacing this old vacant building with new affordable homes will significantly improve this area for downtown residents and visitors.”

Opened in 1954 and closed in 2013, the old Central Library is a locally designated historic resource that sat empty for nearly a decade before being used intermittently as a temporary homeless shelter, starting in 2023. Over the years, developers have contemplated various alternative uses, including a 42-story apartment tower proposed by Bosa Development. The tower proposal was eventually scraped by the builder in 2018.

San Diego is now soliciting interest in the old Central Library under the Surplus Land Act. The law was amended in 2019 to prioritize affordable housing when government-owned land is sold or leased.

In July, San Diego city council members formally declared the library site as surplus land. The surplus designation means the city no longer needs the facility and has ruled out other options, such as redeveloping the property entirely for low-income housing. With the designation, the city can sell or lease the site for redevelopment — but it must follow specific noticing and negotiating requirements.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: San Diego’s old Central Library is on the market – San Diego Union-Tribune

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